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i.e. "(Meru) is 99000 yojanas high, 1000 yojanas deep and has a diameter of 100901i yojanas at its base (inside the flat earth), 10000 yojanas at the base on flat earth and 1000 yojanas at the top."
According to Tilaya Pannatti18 (gāthā 4,1780 et. seq), Meru is made up of frustrum of cones. The diameter at its lowest basé is 1009011 yojanas and it goes on decreasing uniformly upto 1000 yojanas at a height of 100000 yojanas. The decrease in diameter with regard to increase in the height above the lowest base of Meru is shown in figure No. 2(a). Figure No. 2(b) represents the plan of Meru.
It may easily be seen that the hypotenuse is always inclined at an angle 8 to the vertical.
Angle 0 is given as
4500
500
MT tan 0 = -
QM
456 tan 0 =—
1000
- (see fig. No. 2c). 11000
99000 500
(see fig. No. 2(d).
11000
500
tan
=
(see fig. No. 2(e).
- - - 11000
Besides, at centre of the top of Meru, a cūlikā (apex or summit) having 12 yojanas diameter at its base, 4 yajanas diameter at its top and 40 yojanas height, is situated. Hypotenuse of cūlika makes an angle with the vertical. Angle 0 is given as
4 1 tan 0 =-=
(see fig. No. 2(f).
40
10
Evidently
0 € 0
Thus construction of cūlikā violates consistency of other dimensions of the mount Meru. The secret of this mystery is yet to be unearthed. However, the approximate form of Meru can be represented as GEBD (see fig. No. 3).
18 Jain L. C. (1958) Tiloya Pannatti-ka Ganit (prefixed with Jambudiva Pannatti
Samgaho edited by A. N. Upadhye and Hira Lal Jain), pp. 62-64.
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